Neurodegenerative Disease

Dr. Mafee is dual board certified in Neurology and Integrative Medicine.  As such, she is passionate about using functional and integrative philosophies to prevent & reverse a host of chronic conditions.  Dr. Mafee is particularly focused on helping patients work through neurodegenerative disorders.   Dr. Mafee joined the Case Integrative Health team in March 2020.

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Neurodegenerative disease is an umbrella term for a range of conditions which primarily affect the neurons in the human brain.

Neurons are the building blocks of the nervous system which includes the brain and spinal cord. Neurons normally don’t reproduce or replace themselves, so when they become damaged or die they cannot be replaced by the body. Examples of neurodegenerative diseases include Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and Huntington’s disease.

Neurodegenerative diseases are incurable and debilitating conditions that result in progressive degeneration and / or death of nerve cells. This causes problems with movement (called ataxias), or mental functioning (called dementias).

Dementias are responsible for the greatest burden of neurodegenerative diseases, with Alzheimer’s representing approximately 60-70% of dementia cases. (Credits: JPND)